21 Jul 2011

American Samoa man convicted of attacking a man with a machete, appeals

11:08 am on 21 July 2011

Lawyers for American Samoan man Simeti Lualemana are to appeal against his conviction for attacking a man with a machete.

Simeti, who's a chief and a war veteran, was jailed for five years by a Honolulu court for the attack last year on Mark Cunningham, the former station chief of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Pago Pago.

Simeti's attorney, public defender Alexander Silvert, has filed a notice contesting both the conviction and sentence.

Mr Cunningham lost part of his ear in the attack.